Cognitive Diversity And Intercultural Comprehension

Abstract

Human beings are highly influenced by the culture they are enveloped in. Increasing studies in the field of cognitive science states that culture or environment has a deeply rooted influence on human cognition instead of pointing out the obvious behavioral differences within cultures through their rituals. 20th Century has practiced inter-disciplinary areas of study between the field of psychology and anthropology. It is engendering a very popular scope of research involving the concept of ‘cultural relativism’ and executing the findings of the same in applied fields of psychology and anthropology. This paper aims at following this vision to study human cognition its relationship with culture and its role in creating cultural differences.
This paper follows a strategic flow of briefly introducing the terms of cognition, culture and stereotypes. It looks at the relationship between culture and cognition and extends the same in studying cultural difference and the mental processes involved in
creation of those. In this process it looks at the mental mechanisms of cultural differences and maintains a neutral perspective towards concepts of ‘Ethnocentrism’ and ‘Stereotypes’. It finally proposes a combination of concepts of ‘Cultural Relativism’ and ‘Cultural Flexibility’ from the field of anthropology and psychology respectively in order to promote accommodating attitude in situations of cultural differences.